Is a Centauro a good bike?

[Gusable]

Since the first time i laid eyes on a centauro I thought it's one of the prettiest bikes ever made ( imho).  Are they good bikes? Normal quirks here n there but guzzi solid bikes?  sho' nuff is good lookin' in all its liveries

[twhitaker]

Yes!

[fotoguzzi]

If he were still Around I bet Steve Mcqeen would ride one.

[twhitaker]

Although it's Achilles heel is the oil pump drive gear. Changed mine to chain.

[Gusable]

Although it's Achilles heel is the oil pump drive gear. Changed mine to chain.

Is that big job or pretty easy at home?

[Lannis]

Since the first time i laid eyes on a centauro I thought it's one of the prettiest bikes ever made ( imho).  Are they good bikes? Normal quirks here n there but guzzi solid bikes?  sho' nuff is good lookin' in all its liveries

I thought so too and put 35K miles on mine.

1) Exposed drive shaft, so you have three grease fittings to maintain there; easiest when the back wheel is out.

2) They're 20 years old now so probably have been tuned up right, but they need a better "chip", a nice crossover in the exhaust, carefully balanced throttle position sensors, and a brass temperature sensor holder to run well.

3) The oil pump drive is problematic.   Mine didn't fail during my time, but broad experience has shown that replacing it is a really good idea.

4) Most people (including me and I ride easy) got no more than 3500 miles from a rear tire and maybe twice that from a front.

Other than those things, it's a good-looking, powerful, fun-to-ride bike.  Except as mentioned, everything's built like a tank.

Lannis

[Gusable]

Very interesting.   It sounds like it would be best to buy one from a fellow here so you know it's been "sorted"

[Lannis]

Very interesting.   It sounds like it would be best to buy one from a fellow here so you know it's been "sorted"

That's the way I did mine, coming and going ..... Although if you test ride it, you can tell pretty quick if it's right.   If the chip isn't right, or the temperature sensor holder isn't right, or the TPS out of sync, the bike will hiccup and hesitate coming off idle, and going through 3200 RPM, and will pop and bang in the exhaust.   If it's tuned right, it will "feel good" and smooth with no glitches.

The oil pump, you can't tell, you'll have to ask and trust him.

Lannis

[Joliet Jim]

Mine looks like Terry's only better. 😀 I should get rid of it but I cannot

[JJ]

Of the 5 Guzzi's I have owned, 1. '78 850 Le Mans, 2. 11' V11 Le Mans, 3. '93 1000 SPIII, 4. '83 850 Le Mans III, my '98 Centauro GT is the best, fastest, and most fun of them all! :1:

Yes, you need to correct all the flaws - steel timing gears, steel oil pump gear with needle bearings, stainless steel fuel lines, upgraded chip, upgraded horns, (my preference), etc. and you will be fine. :1:

[Chuck in Indiana]

If you *like* maintaining..  you'll like the Centauro. Servicing the forks requires disassembly. Changing the belts requires taking the front of the motorcycle apart. It's a very mechanical machine, and if you don't like doing that kind of stuff.. I'm just saying. <shrug>

[dxhall]

 
What's it like to own one?  Well, you've got to be able to follow simple instructions like these (taken verbatim from the manual):
 
          With the engine without the rocker arms, fit a feeler gauge on the left (Induction Control ducket) cylinder
          discharge command points using the tool cod. 69 90 78 50 as indicated in the Fig. 11-47.
.
          The upper timing command pulleys must be without the inner drive gears as indicated in the Fig. 11-47.
.
          The drive belts must be stretched correctly.

[tris]

Who cares - if it didn't run they're nice enough to hang on the wall as art 

I'd love to own one - maroon and silver   

[Lannis]

 
What's it like to own one?  Well, you've got to be able to follow simple instructions like these (taken verbatim from the manual):
 
          With the engine without the rocker arms, fit a feeler gauge on the left (Induction Control ducket) cylinder
          discharge command points using the tool cod. 69 90 78 50 as indicated in the Fig. 11-47.
.
          The upper timing command pulleys must be without the inner drive gears as indicated in the Fig. 11-47.
.
          The drive belts must be stretched correctly.

How many millions does Moto Guzzi turn over in a year?   And yet they still do this silly stuff that is literally the equivalent of an American going to Italy and figuring if he shouts loud enough and adds an "o" to every word, the Italians should understand him.   Like Honda in the 60's.

And it's SO solvable.   For $500 per manual (OBO), I'd take their text file for their to-be-published manual, put it into idiomatic English, and send it back.   What's so hard about that?

Oh well.

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

 
What's it like to own one?  Well, you've got to be able to follow simple instructions like these (taken verbatim from the manual):
 
          With the engine without the rocker arms, fit a feeler gauge on the left (Induction Control ducket) cylinder
          discharge command points using the tool cod. 69 90 78 50 as indicated in the Fig. 11-47.
.
          The upper timing command pulleys must be without the inner drive gears as indicated in the Fig. 11-47.
.
          The drive belts must be stretched correctly.

well, that's for setting the cam timing, and normally shouldn't have to be done. I've had to do it to one engine, though.
edit: come to think of it, make that two. I'd forgotten the Daytona that a mechanic had screwed up..

[dxhall]

I'm not sure what you do if the induction control ducket goes bad.  Look for a BMW, I guess.

[kidsmoke]

I just wanna say, as a fly on the wall in this place, I'm stunned and disappointed at the lack of pitchers, and how incosiderate you guys are to talk about Centauros without visual reference. 


 :Beating_A_Dead_Hors e_by_liviu

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Here you go kidsmoke.

[kidsmoke]

Here you go kidsmoke.

 

[Lannis]

I just wanna say, as a fly on the wall in this place, I'm stunned and disappointed at the lack of pitchers, and how incosiderate you guys are to talk about Centauros without visual reference. 


 :Beating_A_Dead_Hors e_by_liviu

Pretty remiss of us, for sure.   As you can tell, Yellow is the fastest color:

[twhitaker]

Changing over to chain drive wasn't too bad. Paid mechanic. Biggest expense was the pump. All done under a grand.

[Gusable]

Dang those bikes look good! 😘

[Chuck in Indiana]

Changing over to chain drive wasn't too bad. Paid mechanic. Biggest expense was the pump. All done under a grand.

Probably a little higher than that now..

[Chuck in Indiana]

obligatory pitcher
IMG_4243 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr

[Nic in Western NYS]

Had one for about 5 years. Had it tuned just right by Ed Soucy's team in Worcester.  Family transition made it go - great bike, great sound with Staintunes, handled better than I needed, looked real good in the grey

[blackcat]

obligatory pitcher
IMG_4243 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr

I've never liked the styling of the bike, but with bags in that color it really works.

[Lannis]

I've never liked the styling of the bike, but with bags in that color it really works.

Even for those of us who DO like the styling of the bike, that color and those bags really work.

Although if you're going to put panniers on the back, you'd really better be sure that the suspension and tires are dialed in.   The bike already has a rear weight bias, and one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that the Centauro is VERY sensitive, handling-wise, to having the correct pre-loads, tires, and tire pressure, or she'll get wobbly with a load on ... But when set up right, steady as a rock ....

Lannis

[Chuck in Indiana]

<old person reminiscing> Several years ago, I was on a ride with the denizens of Camp Carlo in Flori duh. The leader said there was a stretch where you could go as fast as you wanted.. Tip Paul on his C and another guy I don't remember blew by me sounding *really* good.  A big block Chevy Can-Am motor comes to mind.
Naturally, I took up the challenge, and as I was going through 125 a little light came on in the back of my head. "I wonder if anyone has ever gone this fast with bags and this light crosswind?" It was still as solid and planted feeling as ever, but discretion got the better part of valor and I backed off the throttle.
 

[twhitaker]

That's about 25 over what I have ever had mine as I backed off hoping I don't have a tank slapper.

[Joliet Jim]

Available for interesting trades.